Location: a certain hospital somewhere in Manila
Year: 1988 (I was 6 years old)
Scenario: me talking to the doctor after getting my X-ray
Dockie: So, nakakain ka na ng lunch?
Me: Yes po.
Dockie: Ano'ng kinain mo?
Me: Bilog po.
Dockie: Ha? Hehe.... Sa'n kayo kumain?
Me: Sa tapat lang po paglabas ng hospital.
Dockie: Ah, sa Chinese restaurant. Siopao?
Me: Hindi po. 'Yung maliit lang.
Dockie: Junior siopao?
Me: Mmmm. 'Di rin po.
Dockie: Malagkit ba? Matamis? Buchi?
Me: No po. Ewan ko po ano 'yun. Basta bilog, maliit, nilalagyan ng toyo at kalamansi.
Dockie: Alam ko na! Siomai 'yun!
And that's how I came to know the magic word SIOMAI! It was by far, the most delicious food I tasted in that old Chinese restaurant. So I started liking getting up so early at dawn para lumowas ng Maynila from Lipa, Batangas for my check-ups way back then. Luckily, Chinese food is Daddy Charles' favorite so go lang si Mommy Becky kung ano ang gusto ni Daddy. Then I ordered siomai, siomai, and more siomai! It was my reward for fasting, skipping breakfast, that is for the lab tests, ultrasound, etc. that I'm going to undergo for the day. From then on, siomai has become one of my favorite foods ever!
Location: Treasure Island Industrial Corp., Cebu
Year: 2006 (I was a fresh grad from college)
Scenario: me talking to my colleague at work
Her: Lami kaayo mag pungko2x.
Me: Ha? Nganong magpungko man ka nga sakit man na sa tiil.
Her: Hahaha!!!!! Lahi man gud ang pungko2x ngari sa Cebu. Kanang mangaon sa kilid2x ba.
Me: Ay. Sorry gud. Unsa man puy kaonon?
Her: Ngohiong, barbecue, siomai. Hala! Dugay na kaayo ko wa kakaon ug siomai sa Tisa!
Me: Tisa? Sa Labangon?
Her: O.
Me: Kada adlaw man ko moagi diara.
Her: Tan-awa ra gud ni sya oh. Kada adlaw man diay ka dira unya wa jud ka kabaw.
Me: Kana laging sa daplin lag dalan? Unya lami pud?
Her: Super!
And that's how I became addicted with Siomai sa Tisa! Every time I went home from a very long day at work, I dropped by at Tisa to buy siomai and just walked my way to Mama Dita's house when I was still staying with her. Siomai sa Tisa is just soooo love especially the chili sauce that is spicy to the max! Ika nga, in vain ang siomai 'pag walang sauce. It is the flavorful sauce that gives the siomai its very unique and distinct taste. All-in sweet, salty, and spicy plus a squeeze of calamansi to make it tangy. This is just so yummylicious! In fact, I can eat 25 pieces of siomai in just one setting as long as the sauce is unlimited with a very cold soda in waiting! Haha! Oh, God! Just by imagining this makes me wanna go back to Cebu for a heavenly taste of Siomai sa Tisa again!
Fortunately, it was perfect timing that we went to Cebu last week for Papa and Mama's check-up because it was the 2nd Siomai Festival sa Tisa 2015! The festivities lasted for a week in honor of the barangay's patron saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz. It was like a mini Sinulog with all the street dancing, fireworks display, and street party they had!
The whole of Labangon participated in the revelry because the district was already known to the world as the way tugpahay street food high-street! If Singapore has Jalan Makanan, so is Cebu with its Siomai sa Tisa! Day or night, rain or shine, all stalls are ready to serve you with the bestest siomai in town! They also serve hot and spicy pancit canton, chicharon, and very cold cola! Ika nga ni cuzzy Cang2x, makamatay ug dali sa cholesterol! But who cares? It's just a treat for yourself once in a while! Just don't do it often, OK?
Thanks to Cang2x for bringing us to the Siomai Festival! And thanks to the little brother/sister of Ryan of PBB 737 for the photo op! :)
More festivals to come, dear blog readers! :) #tosomtravels
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